


Heart of the Valley

by WasteTimeandType



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe: No bending, Drama, Episodic Fic, F/F, Family Drama, Farmer Asami, Farmer korra, Gen, Humour, Multi, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Stardew Valley setting with LOK world naming I guess, This isn't a romance fic it's more slice of life, Vague Universe, easy going, everyone is farm linked, gen - Freeform, silliness, the farm au i'm inflicting on the world, there be the internet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:20:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22121698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WasteTimeandType/pseuds/WasteTimeandType
Summary: Asami takes a drastic change in her life--- to move to her late mother's family farm in Pelican Town in Stardew Valley. There, whilst adjusting to life as a farmer, she finds community, friendship, and potentially even more in her life.Loosely inspired by the game Stardew Valley, but I use the setting fairly liberally and no knowledge of the game is required.
Relationships: Bolin/Opal (Avatar), Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	Heart of the Valley

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a story I've been developing recently! I have an idea where I want it to go, but it's designed to be flexible so I can add parts to it if I want to explore some sort of plot bunny.
> 
> This is designed to be a fairly light read, and is more of a gen platonic fic with korrasami in it, just to forewarn anyone who might be expecting hard and fast romance.

The bus stop was rather secluded and empty. She pulled her suitcase behind her carefully; the wheels juddering on the loose gravel surrounding the stop. The bus pulled away, and Asami turned around. The stop was quiet, and a light breeze drifted through the surrounding trees. There were no buildings in sight, though she knew that if followed the path round the bend, she would discover the small town that would be her new home.

_Look, Mom, I’m actually doing this._

She pulled her suitcase beside her

The man was tall, burly, with dark tan skin and blue eyes. He smiled as he approached Asami and held out his hand.

“Asami Sato! It’s Tonraq Kattatuk, the mayor. We spoke on the phone,” he said, and they shook hands, his grip firm and assured, and Asami met his gaze and shook back.

“Yes, I gathered.” Asami said and smiled. Tonraq took her suitcase for her. “It’s lovely to meet you.”

“Likewise, Asami. It was a surprise to hear someone was moving into West Valley Farm after all these years, but I’m glad Yasuko kept the farm in the family. When we heard she passed away, we all missed her even though we hadn’t seen her in years,” Tonraq said, then paused. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up when we just met.”

“It’s fine,” Asami said. “She always spoke so fondly about this town, even if she never properly returned. I’m excited to be here.”

“Good. If you ever need anything, you can message me if you still have my number.”

“Thanks,” Asami said. “I appreciate it.”

“You should meet my daughter. She’s your age as well. It’s so exciting to have more young people in the town.”

Asami nodded and smiled, and she could already feel that the people of Stardew Valley worked at a different pace compared to Republic City. She certainly was never asked to introduce herself to her previous neighbours.

Tonraq took her suitcase down the path to the west of the town. West Valley Farm was unimaginatively named, but was her mother’s families former farm, and the plot of land has been in her family’s stead for generations. It hadn’t been used since her grandmother lived here, so Asami was sure that it would need quite a bit of work, but as they entered onto Asami’s land proper, Asami could feel the wind being knocked out of her and she almost collapsed into the soil.

The farm was overgrown as far as the eye could see. It wasn’t just weeds; there was gorse and bramble, along with trees, large and small, swamping her land. It was a clear and monumental task for her to undertake.

“Yeah, it’s a bit overgrown,” Tonraq said, but he kicked into the ground, overturning some loose grass to reveal the soil underneath, “but that’s good farming soil.” He said.

She must have looked as white as a sheet, but she recentered himself and smiled brightly. “No, I’m sure it’ll be fine. I love a challenge.”

“That’s the spirit I like to see!” Tonraq said and slapped her hard on her shoulder, and she struggled to keep her footing at his strong grasp. “Bolin and I checked the electricity, gas and water mains as requested and did any repairs needed, though you might want to check for leaks. Bolin is a local handyman and I’m sure you can hire him to help out on the farm.”

“Thanks so much for your help in getting it ready. Just knowing that the house is in working order is a huge help…”

“Not at all. But it’s a great day when someone new moves in to town. I can only wish you the best.” He said. Tonraq stepped back. “Be sure to check out the local bulletin board for local events. So, I assume you really want to unpack, but do you want me to show you around?”

“I think I want to discover the house and farm on my own for a bit.”

“Sure. Hey, you have my number if you need any further help.”

“Thanks Mr Kattauk.”

“Don’t be so formal! Call me Tonraq!” he said, and waved goodbye to her, and strode away.

She smiled and took her suitcase into the small house.

It was a small house, with the large room at the front containing the sleeping area, with one bed against the wall, a small, probably antique table situated in the middle. She wandered a couple of steps to the top of the house where the kitchen was situated. It was dusty, if just antiquated, but the kitchen itself was solid marble workbenches with pine furnishings, with a traditional gas stove. If she moved to the right, there was the master bedroom, with the bathroom attached.

What made her smile the most was the small care package that had been placed by the side of the door, filled with bread, fresh fruit and vegetables and several tinned amenities such as beans. There was a small note that read _To Asami, To help you move in. Love, Pelican Town_.

It was small, a far cry away from Asami’s previous dewllings, but she didn’t mind so much. She began to place her belongings into the drawer.

Asami held fuzzy memories of planting flowers in the dirt with her grandmother and then holding her mother’s hand at a funeral. When her own Mom died, she’d held her father’s hands and scattered half her ashes on the farm she grew up. Asami didn’t really consider that heavy on what happened to the farm after Mom passed. Not until her eighteenth birthday, when her father handed her a letter.

_Dear Asami,_

_I never planned to write this letter right now, in fact I never planned to write a letter at all to my own daughter. But it appears that I am forced to write now time is short. I have much sorrow over my life ending sooner than I would have liked; the biggest one being that I will not be able to see you grow up._

_So I’m writing to you to give you the deeds of the West Valley Farm, situated in Pelican Town, Stardew Valley. I’ve had ownership of the farm since my Mom died, but truth be told I never knew what to do with it._

_I always wanted to leave Pelican Town and travel the world. When I finished school, it was the first thing I did. My Mom understood. I was never one for the farming life, and I still prefer Republic City, your father, and you, over my old home. But as I’ve gotten older, with my family with you and constantly in the world of business, of backstabbing and underhanded deals, I understand the appeal of that slower life. I had started to plan to try to do up the old farmstead, but upon my diagnosis, these plans were shelved for later, and now simply won’t happen._

_I want you to have options, Asami. Our family may have riches but money isn’t everything, and life can be draining. Your father doesn’t understand, and I fear he would just develop the farm into apartments rather than thinking about what the town actually needs if I left it to him. I want this to be a gift from me to my daughter. I’m writing this when you’re only eight years old, Asami, and you have such a brightness to you. If you ever feel it start to go out and you need to recharge, or to develop something that is your own and not your Dad’s company, you have this piece of land, forever._

_You don’t have to keep it. I don’t want to guilt you into a project you don’t care for. But, if you need those options, then West Valley farm is there for you. My only wish is that if you don’t need the land, sell it back to the community itself, don’t let it become something the town would not wish for it to be._

_I love you, Asami. Keep thinking big, my bright star, and keep moving forward._

_With love forever,_

_Mom._

Asami had wept when she read the letter. But it wasn’t because of the deeds, it was more the fact that her Mom had thought far in advance to ensure that Asami received her eighteenth birthday present. Asami had grown up most of her life without her mother’s touch, but at that moment, it still felt like Yasuko Sato was still looking out for her.

It had started slowly. A keen interest in farming news whilst completing her degree. Reading about how to grow the best crops. Turning a plot of land into her own personal allotment. She had built an appetite for farming, but Asami had just thought of it as a hobby. It was a way of connecting to her mother’s life, to the life she left behind when she moved to Republic City.

It wasn’t until a couple of months ago that she realised what her Mom had meant when she had given her those deeds to her, staring at her computer screen after another argument with her father. She had brushed aside her tears and re-read the letter that her mother had given her when she was eighteen.

She’d moved into her mother’s former study, and after a fair bit of rooting around in the doldrums. She had found some notes, a small blueprint of Valley West Farm and some sketches of a planned larger farmhouse with the intention to lease it to new farmers; and then a health food shop plan, and then a plan for a spa. It didn’t seem like her Mom had any set idea of what she wanted the farm to be like; but these unfinished plans are what pushed Asami to make that decision. It has all been so real, and tangible.

Asami had given in to the allure of the small farm away from it all. To experience life a different way. To develop something of her own.

A week after she quit the company and angered her father, she was now in West Valley Farm, alone, with a monumental task in front of her. But, there was no time like the present— best get started.

* * *

Asami swung her scythe at the weeds. She sighed and looked at her watch. She had been working for hours, but she had only cleared the surrounding area. She took her hoe and gave the ground a soft tug, and it did move easily, but not so freely that it was simply dust. Tonraq was right. Despite the appearance of the farm, it’s actual state was quite good.

Seasonal vegetables. She’d start with seasonal vegetables, live off her own produce and their profits for the first year, and plan bigger things, maybe a specific cash crop in the second year. But first she had to get her farm up and running.

She wiped her brow and placed the scythe back into the small shed. It was falling apart and needed to be fixed alongside the old tractor laying on its side on the farm. But considering that she had come into this blind, and after the shock had worn off, overall it seemed that things were looking pretty good.

Asami turned back to the farm, in its unholy overgrown glory, and laughed to herself. Who was she kidding when she was the only one here? No use in lying to herself. The state of the farm was pretty dire. But she’d make it work.

Since she sold her stake in the company, and her father wasn’t talking to her, she didn’t have much to actually turn back to.

Asami moved to her house, and splashed water onto her face and reapplied her makeup, brushing her long locks and changing out of the dirty clothes.

She looked through her cupboards, and the food box that Tonraq had delivered her. It was nice, and she could rustle up something but her stomach rumbled. She looked outside the window and decided that she would venture into town for a hot meal. Tomorrow she would bolster her supplies from the general store.

She left the house and moved to the dirt path that led out of her town. Asami would endeavour to invest in some sort of larger vehicle that would transport her around the town and beyond in the coming days once her internet was set up.

For now, she walked, and she was doubtful it was far to the saloon. She passed by the general store, which was good to know. Gyatso Supplies was a small store. She could see it all shut up for the next trading day, so she would journey there tomorrow.

She entered the small tavern on the side of town. It was filled with yellow light and a warm, inviting atmosphere, but it wasn’t particularly full, with only two people were eating and drinking in the far corner. The silence of the bar only being broke by the duke box in the corner playing soft jazz music.

“Hey,” she said as she approached the bar.

The barman, a tall man with unkempt hair, a pointy beard and plastered with a large grin nodded to her. “Hey. You’re the new farmer, Asami, aren’t ya?” She nodded and shook his hand. “I’m Bumi. Owner of this fine establishment. You’re originally from Republic City?”

“Yes. Can I have the chicken curry?”

“Sure,” he said, ringing through the till as Asami paid. “You know, I used to be based in Republic City when I was with the United Force. I retired back home only a couple of years ago.”

“Oh, really?”

“Oh, I have many stories. Once I was stationed in Republic City and I was cruising the local docks when I met a man. He had a scar on his eye but he seemed friendly enough, so I naively decided to follow him as he promised me some cheap booze. However, I soon realised that who I had followed was up to no good. He cornered me with a knife. Do you know what I had on me?”

“Uh… nothing?”

“My wits! And a horrendously unwashed scarf, and a harmonica. So, there I was, with raised fists…”

Asami did her best to keep up with the conversation, even as Bumi served a few other patrons and went in and out of the kitchen.

“...And then I realised that my grappling hook was my only weapon! Facing a sharks something I never thought I would do, but there I was, out in the open waters, and I realised that I had to do what I had to do.”

Asami was pretty sure that this was somehow still the same story.

“What did you do?” A voice chirped in beside her. A young man near her age with thick eyebrows and a beaming smile stood next to her and pulled up a chair at the bar.

“Bolin, it’s good to see you. I think I need to catch you up…”

Asami listened in on the tale for a minute, but eventually she slipped off hopefully unnoticed— she didn’t want to appear rude, but to say Asami was lost would be an understatement, and he seemed to be just fine with catching up Bolin.

She moved to the back of the bar, noticing the photographs on the wall at the back of the saloon, well cleaned compared to the dust sitting on the jukebox to the side by her. One of the older photos of the town. A photograph hung on the wall of a bald-headed man smiling with his arm around a tanned woman, surrounded by three kids. Another photograph was in black and white but showed the same saloon still standing there.

There was so much history contained in this town that she barely knew about. Sure, Asami hadn’t gone to Stardew Valley blind— once had a bustling mining industry, but was now primarily focused on farming. But she still had lots to learn.

She glanced at her, watched and yawned, exhaustion setting in. Today had been long, with moving and discovering her farm for the first time; the length of the day was setting into her bones, so she planned to leave. As she looked to the door, she noticed a new face entering into the saloon area. The woman had dark skin, with brown hair pulled in bunches by the side of her face, and was dressed in jeans and a blue sweatshirt. Her gaze was looking at Bolin talking to Bumi, but she seemed to notice Asami’s glance, the breezy smile still on her face.

“Hi, are you Korra?” Asami asked the girl. She did look like she was related to Tonraq.

“Yeah,” Korra said, the charming grin falling, replaced by a steadier gaze and a thinner smile as her eyes swept over Asami. “You’re Asami, the new farmer.”

“That’s right. I just moved from Republic City—“

“—Yeah, I know,” Korra cut her off, the atmosphere slightly tense, “you’re an industrialist, right?”

Asami pushed through the clear hostility. “I was. But, not anymore. I’m looking forward to starting my new career.”

Korra paused, face unreadable. Asami could feel frustration stirring within; startled by the clear hostility that was present. 

Korra only nodded in response. “Sure. My family owns the farm just below yours, so if you ever need anything…” she said, and smiled, but it wasn’t that easy going grin Asami had spotted earlier. It was forced, lips thin and teeth baring, as Korra was simply going through the motions of pleasantries.

Asami just smiled and nodded. “I’m sure I can handle myself. But I’ll definitely come down if I do need help.”

A large smile bounded in her view and next to Korra, bringing Korra into a large bear hug. “Sorry Korra, you should have come over to hear Bumi’s stories!”

“No, I was definitely _avoiding_ Bumi’s stories.”

Bolin seemed unfazed and clapped his hands together as he turned to Asami. “You must be Asami! Sorry I didn’t say hi at the bar, Bumi’s stories are just so exciting! I’m Bolin by the way! If you ever need anything I’m sure I can help you out!” He said, vigorously shaking her hand. “Me and Korra are gonna play pool, wanna join?”

“Where’s Mako?” Korra asked, a glance cast over to Asami.

“Oh he needed an early night ‘because of work’.” Bolin said, his tone mocking as he pulled his face into a scowl.

“Pfft, typical.”

“Well, we can swap him for Asami.”

“Oh, I was just heading back,” she said. She was exhausted, and she needed to have that early night; and as much as she wished to prove Korra’s judgement of her wrong, expending that amount of energy was unappealing at this moment. “But I hope I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah!” Bolin said cheerily, and then part her shoulder, smile wide.

Asami nodded and glanced at Korra, the fake smile still pressed into her lips.

She nodded curtly at Asami.

Asami knew that she would just have to try hard to win over her trust.

The task didn’t bother Asami that much.

She always enjoyed a project.

**Author's Note:**

> 'Kattatuk' is completely made up, I just personally don't like any surnames I've seen in fandom. I promise that any mention will be limited.
> 
> Well, if you liked, please leave kudos and comments. Constructive Crit welcomed.


End file.
